Display apparatus



Feb. 19, 1935. F. G. CAREY DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed NOV. l5, 1955 IN VEN TOR. Fw? /v/r 5ML 7 7E 07h-Ex TTORNEY Patented Feb. 19, 1935Y UNiren-srA'rEs s PATENT NoFFrer; y

This invention relates tof a new andi useful illusionY method of advertising' merchandise in flowing form, adaptedftdbe arranged inla store Window, 'booth or the like` andvhas-for'its general, obj ect to. provide a-method'which-"Wi1l attract attention, cause commentY and; excite interest.

Another object of the invention isto provide Van illusionY apparatus ofthe'. character described, especially adaptedl for use in connection with the advertising and displaying of vfood products, although. the apparatus. is capable of various em'-Y bodiments` to adapt it lto the .particular use: for which it mayy be desired.

Another object of the invention isto provide',l an advertising display apparatus which-is novel inv construction and operation, which 'may be relatively cheaply constructed and economically operated. Y f Y f A particular feature of the invention is the provision of mechanism, embodying the representation of a container of" merchandise, a receiver of merchandise and. an inclined chute discharginginto the.container'andleading to the receiver, etc., whichl when: viewed from the front appears tov continuously pass merchandise, such as certain food products, `from the container into thev receiver. may be operated. at` any time, or maybe continuously operatedif desired.

With the above and other objects in view and the meansv4 of their attainmentv will be more apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment, illustratedl inthe accompanying drawing Vin which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of' the invention.

Figure 2 is. a vertical cross sectional View taken through the cabinet and looking toward the left,

and.

Figure 3 is a detail plan viewshowing'a for driving the conveyors. Y y

ReferringA to the drawing in detail, 1 designates a cabinet structure open at its front and providedwith a bottom2, sidesand 4, aback 5v and a top 6. The back portion of the cabinet is providedwith a partition wall 7, spaced from the back 5, toprovide a: rearcompartment 8 and the bottom portion is provided with a floor 9, `spaced from the bottom 2; to providea bottom compartment 10. A hanger 11 islocated within the open space of the cabinet and is made in the form of a glass bar, having itsfendsfmounted in the op; posite side walls 3 and 4. This hanger is arranged in the upper central' portion offthe cabimeans net, for mounting'at the right'side thereof, a box` or carton 12; made to representk a'container of merchandise. A part 13A4 representing a receiver of merchandise, is also located within the open space of the cabinet and this receiver is designed to rest upon a stand 14 mounted on the floor 9,

Due to its construction the apparatusadjacent theside wall'3`. The'V stand supports the receiver in spaced'relaticn tothe floor 9 of the` cabinet and is preferably made from glass tubing. The receiver l'may be made in any desired shape but in thepresent instance-is shown made in the shape of a hollow globe, on the outside of which isn arranged amap: off the4 world, so as to convey the idea that certain brands of merchandise are used all over the world.

Within the cabinet is mounted an inclined trough-like: chute: 16 whichv passes through the container 12 and is connected tothe receiver 13. This chute is provided: for receiving merchandiseI at itsupper end andguding its passage to and through the container I2 andY discharging it into the receiver 1'3..y Thev chute.- is secured in positionV in any suitable manner and comprises a rear portion. 17 leadingrfrom the upper part of the compartment 8 and passing into the container 12, and'al'ower portionl'i connecting the container 12 and receiver 13. The lower portion of the chute is preferably made ofi glass, so` that merchandisepassingA fromfthe. container to the receiver may bef clearlyfseen..

To permit theipassage of merchandise through the receiver.v 13, the.V receiver is'- provided Witha central vertically arranged" operr ended tube 1'9, which is` in register: at its lower end with an outlet. opening 20.1'nade' in the floor- 910ir the cabinet. Thiszopening 20 isy surrounded by the stand 14, that supports.` the, receiver, and to conceal the opening and the passage'. of' merchandise therethrough, when the cabinet is. viewed from the Vfront,a mirror21 is, mounted within the stand 14, in frontof'.' the' opening 20. The mirror is` arranged to` reflect the fronthalf ofthe stand 14, thus giving' the. eiect. of ay whole stand and therebyproviding an illusion.

The merchandise after passing through the receiver13 fallsfupona horizontally arranged conveyor 22 located within the Iowerlcompartment 10'.v This conveyor is of` theendless belt type, is

y carried on suitable rollersv 24 and 25 mounted on the bottom; 2: of the. cabinet'. and'. is arranged to convey the merchandise,l in. the direction shown by the arrow` and dump it intoY a hopper 26 located in the bottom offthe compartment 8. From the hopper 26 themerchandise is thenl picked up and conveyed to the upper end of' the chute 16, by a vertically arranged conveyor 27. This conveyor isof.` the endless type and .is provided with a seriesof scoops` or buckets 28, which are arranged to travel, in the direction shown by the arrow and dump the merchandise into the upper, or receivingA endof lthe chute- 16. As'shownin Figuref2, the end ofl the chute is provided with av pivoted'- end or mouth piece 30, 'for catching the articles of merchandise delivered from the buckets 28.l The buckets in their downward movement, come into contact with the mouth piece and force it out of their path of movement, after which it is returned to its upper position by means of the spring 3l.

An inclined mirror 33 is also located within the open space of the cabinet andis arranged to snugly fit within the upper rear portion thereof, so that its opposite side edges contact with the inner side walls of the cabinet. The mirror is secured in position, at an angle of 45", by having its lower edge 34 connected to the back portion of the cross bar 11 and its upper edge 35 secured to the inner edge of the cabinet, where the -top 6 and partition wall '7 meet. By connecting'the lower edge of the mirror to the rear of the cross bar 11, it is obvious that when the cabinet is viewed from the front, the lower edge of the mirror is completely concealed from View. As shown in the drawing the mirror is locatedbehind the containerand is arranged for concealing that portion of the chute leading to the container. v

The inner side, backand top walls of the cabinet are provided with vany suitable design of symmetrical form, vas indicated atv 40. As herein shown the design consists of squares, which may be made of contrasting colors if desired. As shown, the squares are so arranged that the side edge of the mirror cuts through the squares at an angle of 451 from corner to corner, thus reflecting one half .of the square andforming a whole square and therefore concealing the side edges of the mirror and forming van illusion. The illusion gives the effect ofl continuous and unbroken surface ofadjacentinnez' sides, back and top wall of the cabinet and makes the container of merchandise .appear as` though it is suspended in mid air. l

Any suitable means may be employed for driving the conveyors. As shown in Figure 3, a suitable motor 36 is provided whose shaft has a worm gear 37, which is'inl mesh with and drives a sirni' lar gear 38, Xed on one end of the lower trans'- verse shaft 27 of the conveyor 27. On vthe other end of the shaft 2'7 is mounted a bevel gear 39 which meshes with a bevel gear 40 mounted on the shaft 25 of the conveyor 22. Through the mechanism described, both the conveyors are driven in the direction shown by the arrows.

From the foregoing itis obvious that when the motor is started the conveyors 22 and 27.

operate to continuously deliver-merchandise, such as certain food` products, to. theupper end of the chute. After the merchandise enters the chute it then flows downwardly, through the container l2 and then passes to yand through the receiver 13 and falls onythe belt conveyor v22. Due to the construction and'` arrangement of .the cabinet structure, as above described,` merchandise such as' rice, tea, etc. will appear to be'continually passing in flowing granular form from-.an apparent receptacle, and therefrom discharging the merchandise into an apparent receiver.

It is obvious that those skilledin the art may vary the details of constructionY and arrange' ment of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore, I do notWish-to be limited to such features; except as maybe required by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An illusion apparatus of the character de-y scribed comprising a cabinet structure, a hanger located within the open space of the cabinet, a

part representing a container of merchandise mounted on the hanger, a part representing a receiver of merchandise cooperable with the container, an inclined chute discharging into the container and leading to the receiver, a mirror behind .the contaner for concealing the portion of the chute, leading to the container and means for receiving merchandise from'the receiver and discharging it into the upper end of the chute.

2. A illusion equipment ofthe character described, comprising a cabinet structure, the iny Aner sides, backv and top walls thereof arranged with symmetricahdesigns, a mirror located in the cabinet and disposed at an angle to the direction of normal vision thereof, said mirror giving the effect of continuous 4and unbroken surface of adjacent sidesand top wall `of the cabinet and means located withinvthe open space of the cabinet representing a container of merchandise, and a part simulating a receiver co-operable with the part representing the container for the Vpurpose set forth.

3. An illusion equipment ofthe character def.

scribed, comprisinga cabinet structure, the inner sides, back anditop walls thereof arranged with symmetrical designs, a, mirror located in the cabinet and disposed at an angle ,to the direction of normal vision thereof,`said mirror giving the:

effect of continuous and unbroken surface of adjacent sides and top wall-of the cabinet, anelement simulating a container of merchandise rlocated adjacent the lfront projecting edge of the mirror, and a part simulating a receiver co-operable with the part representing the container for the purpose set forth. 4. An illusion equipment of the characterdescribed, Acomprising a cabinet structure, the inner sides, backA and top walls thereof arranged with symmetrical designs, a mirror located in the cabinet and disposed at an angle to the direction of normal vision thereof, said mirror giving the effect of continuous'sides and top wall of the cabinet, an element simulating a container of merchandise located adjacent the front projecting edge of the mirror, means for receiving the merchandise discharged from the container,

apparatus for conveying v,the material from the .and conveying merchandise from Vthe receiver and discharging itinto the upper end. of theA chute. Y I Y 6. In combination', a support, a hanger mount ed on the support, a part representing a container of merchandise mounted onA the hanger, a part representing a receiver of merchandise co-oper able with the container, anv inclined chute discharging into the container and leading to the receiver, a mirrorvrmounted on the support for concealing that portionA ofthe chute leading to the container and means-,for receiving and conveying merchandise from nthe receiver and discharging it intothe upper end of the chute.

FRANK'GILLETTE CAREY.. 

